Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's 35-year-old defense minister and former tech entrepreneur, is spearheading a strategy to reshape modern warfare through advanced drone technology. Tasked by President Volodymyr Zelensky with increasing Russian battlefield losses, Fedorov aims to expand the use of autonomous drones capable of making lethal decisions without direct human control, arguing that such weapons will define future military power.

Drawing on ties to Silicon Valley, Fedorov has partnered with prominent technology executives and defense-focused firms to integrate artificial intelligence into Ukraine's military operations. He is also opening Ukraine's vast archive of battlefield drone footage to allied companies in exchange for access to their artificial intelligence models, effectively turning the war into a testing ground for emerging defense technologies.

His approach has sparked controversy. Some Ukrainian soldiers question his lack of military experience and criticize perceived interference from civilian tech advisers, while human rights groups warn that delegating life-and-death decisions to machines crosses ethical lines and risks civilian harm. Fedorov maintains that the dangers are manageable and that embracing autonomous weapons is essential for Ukraine's survival.